Blissville: Hidden Corner of Long Island City
Film Screening and Discussion with Documentarian Hank Linhart
– Free and open to the Public –
Thursday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m.
524 Main Street
New York Public Library – Roosevelt Island Branch
Get a fascinating close-up look at a hidden corner of Roosevelt Island’s nearby neighbor, Long Island City (LIC), in the one-hour film Blissville.
In Blissville, documentarian Hank Linhart captures the varied businesses in this historic neighborhood within LIC named after Neziah Bliss, who owned most of the land in the 1830s and 1840s. These include a sushi factory, an Afghan bakery, and a company that manufactures replicas of the Statue of Liberty. Blissville also documents the every day lives of LIC residents, including a rare glimpse into a community of the Romani (known in the English speaking world as gypsies).
The film Bilssville is based on research that Mr. Linhart began in 1989, suspended in 1996, resumed in 2012, and completed in 2017. Following the screening of Biissville, Mr. Linhart will lead an audience discussion.
The event, free and open to the public, is the second in the Society’s annual series of Fall Lectures.
DIRECTIONS: Take the Tram at 59th Street and Second Avenue, the F train, or the NYC Ferry (Astoria route) to Roosevelt Island. Take the island’s free Red Bus or walk eight minutes north to 524 Main Street.
The Roosevelt Island Historical Society promotes awareness of our Island’s unique story and pursues preservation of its landmarks and artifacts.
